Scars and Stories of Survival
by The Crafty Cracker
Summary: The Kazekage's daughter was sent on a special mission to Konoha. However, she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic son of the Hokage and his strange family. She then starts questioning everything that she was taught to believe in. Why did her mother despise the Hokage's family? Why was she told to stay away? When love is on the line, can she really follow the rules to the end?
1. Chapter 1

**Guys, I have a confession. I secretly dig SasuHina. But I don't love them because I secretly want Sasuke to leave Sakura alone and have Naruto and Sakura end up together. Blergh! NaruHina is my Naruto OTP, closely followed by SasuSaku. But, admittedly, my favorite crack couples are SasuHina and GaaHina. Emphasis on ****crack**** couples. *sigh***

**So that's why I'm writing this fic. ;)**

**Get ready for the ByakuSharingan. (LOL)**

_**Summary: The Kazekage's daughter was sent on a special mission to Konoha. However, she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic son of the Hokage and his strange family. She finds herself questioning everything that she was taught to believe in. Why did her mother despise the Hokage's family? Why was she told to stay away? When love is on the line, can she really follow the rules to the very end?**_

**Scars and Stories of Survival**

_**An Uchiha Sasuke x Hyuuga Hinata fic**_

Chapter 1

The Right Side of the Wrong Bed

I found myself standing in front of my taciturn father and my tactless mother. I was listening to my mum drone on and on about the responsibilities of a shinobi and the special burden placed on me as the daughter of the Kazekage. She doesn't have to tell me what to do. I know. I'm already 16 years old and I'm a respected chuunin of Sunagakure.

"Konoha and Suna have a strong bond to each other," my mother kept on saying. "But even with this, you have to maintain a certain distance from them. You're there to learn. You're not there for anything else, so concentrate."

I frown. It's a bit hypocritical for my mother to say these things. She was, after all, a former Konoha shinobi.

And she was no ordinary shinobi either.

She was one of the second generation Legendary Sannin of the Fourth Shinobi World War. She was the most powerful kunoichi of her generation. She was also the most able medic-nin in the entire world surpassing her own master, Senju Tsunade. She was none other than Haruno Sakura, now the wife of the most powerful shinobi in Sunagakure, Gaara.

And I was their eldest child and daughter, Sabaku no Karura.

They say that I look exactly like my mother and I'm a bit torn each time they say this. As much as I love to look like the woman who made heads turn even with her age (and I won't say anything about this matter for fear of my life), I wouldn't want the severity of her features associated with mine. I was thankful that I didn't inherit her pink hair because I hated pink. However, I did inherit her emerald green eyes and her overall facial features (save for the constant frown that marred her face). My hair was red – the same shade as my father's and fell down in waves down to my hips. I was petite, which could be attributed to the fact that, like my father, I was born premature.

But it's not because I have a bijuu inside me. Nope. It just happened. And I'm not very interested in the details.

After the war, Sunagakure grew to a very competent and progressive village. It was able to contend with other villages when it comes to wealth too. This was considered as a difficult feat considering the geographical location and the merciless climate my country had. Nevertheless, my amazing father was able to accomplish all of this without any of his eyebrow hair falling, if he ever had any.

"Stop stressing, Sakura," Gaara chided his wife. "I'm sure Karura will make us proud."

I noticed my mother deflate for a bit but the frown was still on her face. I love my mother, but for as long as I knew her, she had this irrational hatred for the village that once nurtured her. I was an avid reader and I knew all about the stories of what happened back then in the records of Sunagakure, but none of them told the tale of how Sakura turned from a cool and strong kunoichi to a constipated, embittered woman. But her irrational mistrust to Konoha was amplified when it comes to one particular aspect of the said village.

"Don't associate too much with the Hokage and his family," she warned one last time before leaving my father's office.

My eyebrows furrow as I look at my father questioningly. "What does she have against the Hokage?"

Gaara let out a sigh. "Do as you please, Karura. I trust you."

This was the reason why I love my father more than my mother.

I happily smiled and went to him, hugging the life out of my old man. He smiled down at me and I knew that despite his normally stoic attitude, I was his favorite kid. And I took advantage of that information. "I'll miss you dad."

"I'll miss you too," Gaara replied.

I stood up straight and asked, "Do I have any escorts on this special mission?"

Gaara nodded and at that moment, two shinobi appeared beside me.

I grinned. These two faces were very familiar to me. One was a young man who had just reached his 18th year and was just recently promoted to the rank of jonin. He had shoulder-length brown hair and was taller than me by about two heads. He never let me forget that. He was my cousin, Kogure – Uncle Kankuro's son.

And the other shinobi was a young woman named Hitomi. She was a chuunin of my year at the academy. She was also the top of my year – another fact that she constantly reminded me of.

"Yo, Karura," Kogure said, grinning wolfishly.

"Hey," Hitomi said with an annoying smirk.

"And there's also two other shinobi from Konoha who will escort you," Gaara added.

I rolled my eyes. "That's really too much, dad. Don't you think it'd be better to travel stealthily? Having huge numbers could only attract travel."

"I won't risk it. And besides, Konoha insisted."

"Whatever," I retorted, earning me a glare from my father. He hated it whenever I talked out of turn. This further cemented my reputation as Suna's spoiled princess.

I guess I inherited this trait from my mother.

In a blink of an eye, two shinobi from Konoha appeared. They were in standard ANBU uniform and they were clearly males. They wore intricate masks that creeped me out a bit but I'd never admit that.

They didn't say anything to me or my father. They were crouched in respectful bow.

The man with blonde hair spoke, "We are here for your daughter's protection, Gaara-sama."

"I leave everything to you," Gaara replied. "You may go now."

"Hai!" we all chorused. I noted the way my father sent me a small smile before I turned around. I was certainly going to miss my old man. I'd be gone for a month to train in Konoha, which was actually my greatest wish during my promotion to chuunin. I always wanted to train in different hidden villages – an opportunity that was now possible because of the united shinobi alliance that the villages formed after the war.

Everything was more peaceful now, but we can't help but have small skirmishes every now and then. There were still plenty of missing-nin who cling to the old beliefs and have twisted ideas for world domination. There were also underground organizations who pose considerable threats. There was no such thing as a perfectly peaceful environment, but thanks to the heroes of the past, we were able to achieve most of that.

Why did I pick Konoha first? Simple. I always have a rebellious streak when it comes to my mother. I was always curious to know about half of my heritage. I took the Chuunin Exams in Kumogakure since they hosted it in my time. Details about Konoha's current state were rare in Suna's libraries, especially in the Kazekage's personal information bank. I wouldn't doubt that my mother was behind this. My parents rarely spoke about the Hokage in front of us even though Suna and Konoha were the closest in terms of diplomatic relations compared to other hidden villages. I always wondered about Konoha but they just won't answer any of my questions. I once earned a five-hour intensive medical ninjutsu training session from my mother because I asked who the current Hokage of Konoha was. Heck, even that trivial information that everyone in Suna knew wasn't made available to me.

And it's not like I didn't try to ask other people. But it seemed like my mother threatened them to shut up about Konoha whenever I asked. This frustrated me to no end and I know that these actions of mine were the source of constant argument between my parents.

Because I felt bad about causing my father grief, I let it go. I realized that my father loved my mother in his own way but the same cannot be said about mum. Aunt Temari once told me that some women keep a part of themselves sealed away to a special person. When I was 14, I realized that my mother sealed away a part of her for someone else – and that someone was not my father.

There was a time when I hated her for it. But I didn't want to interfere with my parent's marriage. It was evident to me that their union was arranged. The details weren't revealed to me either. But for as long as I can remember, I learned to be content.

There were other women who could love my selfless father. He had me and Ayame, my 12-year-old little sister who just became a genin. There was also that little runt Yashamaru, my 15-year-old younger brother who was promoted to chuunin at the same time I became one. He's one of those arrogant snots that were just too talented for their own good.

"You're falling behind, Karura," Kogure said, snapping me back to reality.

We were all running across the sand dunes in a pace that made me wonder what sort of urgent event we're going to miss in Konoha. The ANBU shinobi were already meters ahead of us and it was apparent that Kogure and Hitomi lagged behind because they were waiting for me.

"You overexcited that you're finally going to Konoha?" Hitomi teased, covering her smile with her hand – an annoying habit of hers.

"Shut up," I retorted. "Just because you two went there once – "

"Four times for me, actually," Kogure said. "I'm one of the special envoys Gaara-sama always sends to Konoha. And I always visit Aunt Temari there."

I groaned. Of course! Only the Kazekage's family wasn't allowed to visit the family of his only sister. Why? Because the great Sannin Sakura forbade them. The only time I got to see Aunt Temari was whenever her family was the one who visited Suna. She married a Konoha jounin named Nara Shikamaru, from what I know. They have two kids – Shikaku and Asuma.

To say that I was excited to see them was an understatement. The last time I saw them, Shikaku and Asuma were both toddlers. Now, they should be about the same age as I was.

"Twice for me," Hitomi added. "I was sent to deliver special packages to Temari-sama."

_That does it. _"So what?!" I snapped. "I'll be staying there for a _month. _I'll have all the time to learn about Konoha and being a jounin!"

I noticed the way Kogure's eyes softened. He understood my pain and my curiosity. I always felt a special bond with Konoha. I couldn't describe it, but there was something there. I wanted to know why they were considered as the most powerful shinobi village in the world. I wanted to know how they became the most prosperous. I wanted to meet other ninja aside from the ones in Sunagakure. I wanted to know who the Hokage was and who his family was. I wanted to know why my mother turned her back to her village.

I wanted to know everything.

"Please hurry up," a cold voice said from behind me, "we would like to get to Konoha within two days."

I nearly lost my balance. Fortunately, Kogure was at my side, breaking my fall. I turned my head and saw the man with a raven mask behind me. I didn't even sense him there! How the hell - ?!

His blonde companion was a few paces in front of us. This man had raven hair that stuck out at the back. It reminded me briefly of a chicken's butt and I barely suppressed my giggle. Instead, I glared at the man and continued running. He was supposed to be one of my guards and yet he acts like _he's _special!

And because of that, I ran faster than anyone. I leapt from tree to tree without looking back. The arrogant bastard! I'll show him!

I'm known as the fastest kunoichi in Sunagakure. That was one of my talents aside from inheriting my father's skills. I inherited very little of my mother's inclination towards medical ninjutsu, and that was the reason why she would use it as punishment for me. Ayame was the one who showed talent for that certain subject while Yashamaru was brilliant in _everything._

I shifted my gourd gingerly against my back. I could feel the sand shifting inside of it, making me realize that I was more tired than I let on. But I was unwilling to break my pace. My pride dictated that I go for the run without stopping. I won't stop until I reached Konoha. I had monstrous chakra reserves and boundless energy from being cooped up for so long. I wanted out and it showed.

"I know you want to get to Konoha as soon as possible but you don't have to murder all of us out of exhaustion!" I heard Kogure's angry voice from behind me.

And because of that, I landed on the grassy ground. Because I ran like a maniac, we were already inside the Fire country by sundown.

"Gomen!" I cheekily said as the other four shinobi landed near me. "Let's camp here for the night."

No one complained, save for the raven-haired Konoha nin who let out a 'tch'. I seriously wanted to pummel the man within an inch of his life.

Thankfully, there was a good blend of Gaara and Sakura inside of me. Though I had some of my mother's temper, I also had my father's restraint. Not to mention that the entire concept of going to Konoha was effectively decreasing my ire.

I was putting down my gourd as Hitomi set up our sleeping bags and Kogure made a fire. The raven-haired Konoha nin was already gone, making me wonder if he was doing a patrol of the surroundings. His blonde companion was sitting on a tree high above us, seemingly claiming that branch as his spot for the entire evening.

"Don't you want to sleep here?" I asked the ANBU.

He chuckled, much to my surprise. Suna ANBU were as silent as statues but this one wasn't. Maybe it was a trend in Konoha?

"I'm one of your guards, Karura-sama," he replied. "I'll look out for you from here."

I blushed. I really didn't like being protected. "Thanks," I forced out as I scratched the back of my head. "Where's that bastard you're with?"

The man spluttered. "B-bastard?! A-ah…"

"Yep, that bastard," I deadpanned.

"He's on patrol," he said after a moment's hesitation. "He'll be back after he surveys the perimeter."

"'Kay," I said, flopping down my sleeping bag and putting the covers around me.

"Ne," the blonde nin said, "is that gourd Gaara-sama's?"

"Once was," I answered. "He has a new one now. He gave it to me when I became a chuunin."

"Nice," was all he said before he became silent once again.

And at that instant, his companion appeared beside him on the branch.

"All is clear."

"Good. You on first watch?"

"Naturally." There was that arrogant tone again.

It bothered me that I couldn't see their faces. Suna ANBU also had masks but they only had one design – a plain black mask. The fearsome patterns of animals didn't suit me well. And it didn't help that I couldn't see their eyes.

I ignored my cowardly thoughts and let sleep consume me. We have an early start tomorrow as I insisted. I wanted to reach Konoha as soon as possible.

* * *

><p>"How long 'til Konoha?" I breathed as I leapt from tree to tree.<p>

As usual, I was at the front of the pack. The raven-haired bastard seemed to be pissed off with this but he let it slide. He wasn't allowed to attack his charge and it was obvious that his companion was holding him back. I never pass up the opportunity to annoy him with my travel skills. And it was also obvious that I was annoying the hell out of Hitomi, which was an added bonus to this. I was only feeling sorry for my cousin, Kogure, who was muttering profanities under his breath.

"An hour," the blonde ANBU replied. "Are you trying to break a record?"

"More like trying to break her legs," the bastard said.

Without realizing it, my hand moved on its own, throwing a couple of kunai towards the bastard who dared to insult me. Sometimes, I wondered if I had another entity inside of me that made me do things I don't usually do. Kind of like a tailed beast or a demon imbedded inside of me. My mother liked to call it my own personal, inner Sakura. Or Inner Karura. Whatever. I don't like it one bit.

Surprisingly, the ANBU pulled out a sword and deflected my attack without so much as a flinch. If only I could see his face, I just knew he was sporting an arrogant smirk. It would seem like an action true to his persona.

"I don't think it'll be wise if anyone died right now," Hitomi interjected. "Let's just get this over with, okay?"

"Why? You tired?" I mocked her, feeling a rivaling smirk mar my features.

"Tsk," Hitomi said. "Must you always act like such a child? We're both chuunin, for god's sake."

"If you're not careful with that smart mouth of yours, I'll become jounin before you."

And I found myself arguing with Hitomi for the rest of our travel. Only when an imposing wooden gate with the symbol of Konohagakure appeared in my line of vision did I stop and took in the wonder that is the Leaf village.

As our two guides talked to two of the Konoha guards on duty, my eyes surveyed the scenery before me. Konoha was the total opposite of Suna. Instead of plain brown and gold, there was a huge array of colors painted all over. I only knew what they were called but I have yet to see such shades splashed into one wondrous portrait. From where I stood, I could see different buildings of different designs. There was no distinctive form of architecture and it seemed that individuality was more of Konoha's style.

I could spot the Hokage's tower – the largest building in the entire area. Even though it seemed like the farthest structure, it could easily be seen, which was a testament as to how humongous the thing must be. I found my feet moving against their own will. I could barely hear Hitomi's and Kogure's footsteps as they hurried after me. I forgot all about the two ANBU accompanying us. I already knew where I would go

I would go to the place where all the guests of Konoha should go upon arrival.

The Hokage tower.

Different scents that I have never smelled before assaulted my nose. There were shops here and there, selling food and merchandise that could rarely be found in Suna. The rich greenery of the Fire Country provided the village with many products that could only be dreamt of in Suna's unforgiving climate and setting. I could briefly understand why my mother was grumpy. Leaving this place would surely make one miss it. There was something very homely and warm about Konoha and I was briefly ashamed by how I was belittling my own village. But still, I could be excused. It _was _my first time here after all.

"Wipe off that drool on your face," Kogure teased.

I ignored him. I was too happy to even be mad at that. So what if I drooled? The place was utterly drool-worthy.

"Are we going to stay with Temari-sama?" Hitomi asked.

"Yes," Kogure replied. "The Nara estate is huge enough to host even a horde of us. I thought you've been there before?"

"I never asked if we could fit," Hitomi dryly stated. "I only asked if we were going to stay at her house."

Kogure coughed, apparently trying to hide his embarrassment. "Temari-sama insisted, according to Gaara-sama."

"Hm," was all Hitomi said.

I ignored their banter. I didn't even know what my cousin saw in Hitomi but somehow, the helpless idiot had a crush on her. I smiled as laughing children ran past me, chasing one another energetically. There were a few ladies holding heaping bags of groceries while men went about their daily routine. A couple of shinobi could be seen walking around casually, relaxed and obviously on their day off. My companions and I earned curious looks from people and I could feel myself reddening slightly at their scrutiny. It wasn't like they hadn't seen Suna shinobi visit before. There was an open line of transport between the two villages after all.

It may be because of the giant gourd I carried around the back. It was obvious that I came here on another boat. I was someone important because the two people behind me were trailing me like any bodyguard would. It would seem that they recognized the artifact I carried around.

But I knew that they have never seen me before.

The Kazekage's daughter.

As I approached the building, I could see the Hokage mountain.

Surprisingly, there were _seven _faces.

I knew who the first six were.

The Shodaime Hokage, Senju Hashirama. He was known as the God of the Shinobi and the man who built Konoha. He was a Wood Element User and the man who stopped the warring states of olden times.

The Nidaime Hokage, Senju Tobirama. He was known as the man who conceptualized and strengthened the shinobi system. He was the greatest combatant of his time and the man who developed the kinjutsu, Edo Tensei.

The Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. He was the teacher of the first generation of the Legendary Sannin. He was the third man to be named as the God of the Shinobi, following Hashirama and the Rikudou Sennin.

The Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato. He was dubbed as Konoha's Yellow Flash – the fastest man in history. Deemed as the hero of the world, he was also the one who defeated the Kyuubi and sealed it within his own son.

The Godaime Hokage, Senju Tsunade. She was one of the first generation Legendary Sannin and was the most powerful kunoichi. She was Hashirama's granddaughter and Sakura's master. She developed the system of medical ninjutsu.

But the other two faces…

I'm not sure what to make of them. I knew who the Rokudaime Hokage was but all the information I know ends there. I didn't know Konoha now had a Nanadaime Hokage, which would mean that…

_No way._

"What's wrong?" Kogure asked.

I didn't realize that I stopped in my tracks.

"I something the matter?"

I turned around. I didn't realize that the two ANBU nin were with us. It was the blonde fellow who asked me.

I didn't hesitate. "Why are their seven Hokages? I thought - ?"

"Save your questions later," the raven-haired bastard cut me off. "The Hokage will answer them."

I resisted another mounting urge to murder the impertinent fucker. But before I could say anything, I noticed the slight hunch the other man's shoulders had taken. His head was tilted towards the mountain, seemingly observing it from behind his mask. There was a sadness looming over him before he shook his head and faced me.

"Raven's right," he said, the gentle voice I was accustomed to now gone. "Let's go to the Hokage tower. The Seventh must be worried."

I didn't push my questions further. There was something about my queries that seemed to offend these two people. I mentally groaned. Why is it that even now, people won't answer me? Do I have a sign on my forehead that says 'don't answer'?!

Come to think of it, I _did _inherit my mother's infamous forehead.

I followed the two silent Konoha shinobi towards the Hokage tower. Up a flight of stairs we all went, mindless of the sudden weight that has befallen our legs. I could sense my chakra flowing irregularly throughout my body. It screamed exhaustion and I just realized that I have pushed myself to the limits today just to show up some unworthy dick. But I persisted. After all these years, I would finally meet the Hokage. I would finally have answers to _most _of my questions.

"Excuse us," the blonde said as he knocked on the office door.

He opened it and I entered, bracing myself.

That was when a flash of yellow came across my vision and engulfed me in a constricting embrace.

"Karura!"

"Aunt Temari!" I exclaimed, hugging the woman back. "It's been too long!"

"_Much _too long!" Nara Temari almost yelled in my ear.

When she finally let go of me, I was able to see her better.

It's been four years since I last saw my aunt. The last time was when she visited Suna. She wasn't accompanied by her kids or her husband. She was sent on a mission and Suna happened to be along the way, so she opted to stop by with her genin team. It was strange to see my aunt, a born and bred Suna kunoichi wearing the Leaf standard and teaching Leaf students.

"Long time no see, Karura," a masculine voice said from behind Temari.

My eyes landed on two young men, both much, much taller than me. The one who greeted me had a big grin on his face. His hair was brown and spiked up. Before I knew it, he was ruffling the top of my head. The other one had the same hair color as my aunt tied to a ponytail that resembled a clump of weeds. He had a bored expression on his face and he merely sent me a small smile.

"A-are you…?" I started to say, and then before I knew it, I was leaping up to them. I didn't stop from engulfing them in the same manner my aunt did to me. "Shikaku! Asuma!"

Shikaku laughed. "Good of you to remember!"

"Troublesome," Asuma murmured.

"You're still the same as ever, Asuma," I said, laughing with Shikaku. "How are you guys? Where's Uncle Shikamaru?"

"Busy with stuff," Shikaku replied. "He's the Jounin Commander, you know."

"He is?!" I exclaimed. "I never knew."

"Of course you wouldn't," Temari venomously grumbled. "Your mother cooped you up in her little nest far too tightly."

"Aunt Temari," I said in warning. But I knew that my aunt had a point. My mother's protective nature and hatred for Konoha was unbelievable.

"Auntie," Kogure's whiny voice said from behind me.

"Kogure!" Temari said, pecking Kogure on the cheeks.

"You barely noticed me!" my cousin said with a pout.

"Well, I could see you as much as I want to," Temari justified. "But Karura is another case entirely."

"But still!"

"Stop being so noisy, Kogure. You're being too troublesome," Asuma said in his usual bored tone. I knew that he was his father's son through and through. I only met Nara Shikamaru once, but the man left a lasting impression to me. Beyond that eternal exterior of laziness was a staggering genius that I could only think of in my wildest fantasies. He was one of the reasons why Konoha was impenetrable – a genius strategist that was the most intelligent man in the entire shinobi world.

And it seemed that Asuma was following closely in those footsteps.

"You're also here, Hitomi-chan!" Temari added, patting the younger woman on the shoulders. "I see you've also brought your fan."

"I was hoping to learn from you, Temari-sama," Hitomi respectfully said. "I also want to train during my stay here."

"Of course, of course," Temari answered jovially. "I'll get you a boyfriend while we're at it!"

"Auntie!" Kogure exploded. "We're not here for boys – "

"Correction," their aunt said. "_You're _not here for boys. If you were, your father will be sorely disappointed in you!"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"

"Hai, hai," Shikaku interrupted. "We're making a scene in front of the Hokage."

If Shikaku hadn't said what he said, I wouldn't have noticed that the most powerful man in Konoha was even in the room. My eyes landed on the figure seated on the imposing desk at the end of the room.

My eyes widened.

He was someone that I was very familiar with. But I didn't recognize him from the carving atop Hokage mountain.

The Nanadaime Hokage was seated on his chair, wearing black robes lined with white linings. Underneath was a dark blue shirt coupled with the standard shinobi black pants. When he stood up and went around his desk, I could see that at the hem of his robes were patterns of red fire. The Hokage's hat tied loosely on his side as he leaned against the edge of the table. He crossed his arms and looked at me with bottomless onyx pits that made me shiver involuntarily.

I knew him.

I knew him all too well.

He was one the second generation's Legendary Sannin.

A brief image flashed in my mind's eye – the faces on Mount Hokage.

The Rokudaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto. He was the most recent Hokage that I know of. He was the Hokage when I was born, according to my father. He was the savior of the world, like his own father, Namikaze Minato. He was the one who defeated Uchiha Madara and sealed the Ten-tails within himself. He was the reason why there was peace in the entire world. He was the pillar of the Shinobi Alliance. He was the Child of the Prophecy.

So why was this man the Hokage? Where was Naruto? Where was my mother's best friend?

The man standing before me as the Nanadaime Hokage was Uchiha Sasuke.

He was once part of my mother's genin team. He was the infamous Last Uchiha. He betrayed Konoha when he was younger and trained under Orochimaru himself. He later killed his master and joined the Akatsuki. He was the murderer of several powerful shinobi and had a bounty on his head as one of the most sought-after nuke-nin along with his own brother, Uchiha Itachi. However, both of the brothers were redeemed when they played crucial roles in the war. Sasuke himself helped save the world from Uchiha Madara. He was one of the celebrated heroes of the war.

But I never knew. I never realized that he could be the Hokage.

Which meant that either Naruto abandoned his duties or died.

But from what I learned from my mother about Naruto (the only person she fondly spoke of in Konoha) and from what I have read in books, he wasn't the type to abandon his duties. His sole drive in life is to become the Hokage.

So why?

Does that mean that he's dead?

"Welcome to Konoha," Uchiha Sasuke spoke, effectively breaking my reverie.

"A-ah," I stammered. "T-thank you."

The Uchiha smirked at my antics. "I hope you enjoy your stay here. I have assigned mentors for you as the Kazekage requested. I'm sure you'll learn a whole lot more than you ever have here in Konoha."

The pride, bordering on arrogance, in his statement was unmistakable. There was something definitely unsettling about him. Was he the reason why my mother didn't want me to approach him?

I knew that my worries were baseless. There was no way that a village as prestigious as Konoha would proclaim someone suspicious as their Hokage. There were reasons (and valid ones) as to why Uchiha Sasuke was now the leader of the Leaf. And if he had assumed the position for years now, it meant that he had established his reputation well.

"He's gonna stay with me, Hokage-sama," Temari spoke from beside me, surprising me at the seriousness and respect that was coming from my aunt.

Sasuke nodded. "If that's what you wish."

"Thank you for having me," I said, shaking myself out of my stupor. There was no use being rattled and being disrespectful towards my host.

"Hn," Sasuke said, his scrutiny bothering the hell out of me.

"Sasuke-kun."

The soft, feminine voice alerted me to a new presence in the room. It seemed that there was another door in the office – one that connected to an unknown area of the office.

Out came a beautiful woman wearing the standard Konoha jounin uniform. She had long, midnight blue hair that reached down her back. Her hair was layered and framed her face artfully, making me insanely jealous as to how she maintained such tame and shining locks. Her overall demeanor was gentle and refined, making me wonder if she was truly a shinobi. She seemed to be someone who was born from nobility.

The unsettling thing about her was her eyes – white and pupil-less.

I read about something like this before.

"Hey."

I was floored. I never thought something as informal as that could ever come out of _the _Uchiha Sasuke's mouth. He swept across the room and met the woman, giving her a kiss on the forehead. I almost blushed because I felt like I was intruding on some weird, intimate moment.

At the same time, three people strolled in from behind the woman.

Two of them were teenaged boys. They were both wearing the Konoha symbol on their forehead bands, which meant that they were shinobi. One had unruly black hair and the same white eyes as the woman. The other had brown hair with the same white eyes. The third person was a girl with blue hair and onyx eyes.

"What are you all doing here?" Sasuke asked.

"I thought we'd welcome our guests," the woman responded, giving me a gentle smile which I found myself returning without any hesitation.

Sasuke turned to me after he followed the woman's gaze. Then, he spoke, "This is my wife, Uchiha Hinata and these are my children – Naruto, Neji, and Mikoto."

My eyes widened, momentarily forgetting my manners. _Naruto? _Uchiha Sasuke had a son named Naruto?!

"N-nice meeting you," I choke out.

"Hey, where're the ANBU escorting us earlier?" I heard Hitomi whisper behind my back.

"I don't know," Kogure replied. "Konoha ANBU are really creepy, so don't worry about them."

"Nice meeting you too, Karura-chan," Uchiha Hinata said, moving towards me and placing gentle hands on my head. I was surprised. I have never encountered a woman with such a warm, magnetic presence. She was the complete opposite of her husband, if I do say so myself. But I'll never utter these words aloud unless I wanted the Hokage's wrath.

"Very well then," Sasuke interrupted us. "I'll introduce you to your trainer during your stay here."

My confused thoughts immediately went on high alert. "Hai!"

"Come on in."

The two ANBU that were with us earlier came through the door Sasuke's family appeared from. I immediately felt cold sweep down my back.

_No frigging way!_

The two young men removed their masks.

My eyes immediately flew to the smiling blonde man. He had a remarkable resemblance to the Yondaime Hokage, which I have seen before in pictures in my history books. He had the same cerulean eyes, same hairstyle, and same overall bearing.

And then there was the other boy – the bastard. He was the spitting image of the Hokage – same hairstyle, same onyx eyes, same build. He was wearing an arrogant smirk on his face, like the one I imagined.

"These are my sons," Sasuke said. "Minato and Itachi. From here on out, Itachi will be your teacher."

I stared at the man named after the former Akatsuki member. All thoughts flew from my head as I began to grind my teeth in annoyance. There was no way I'll submit to this cocky fucker. I didn't have time to wonder why Sasuke's other son looked nothing like him or his wife. I didn't have time to wonder why exactly my mother was so against me meeting this seemingly normal family.

All I knew for sure was that I _hated _the fact that I had to be trained under Uchiha Itachi.

* * *

><p><strong>That's it for now! First time writing in first person perspective, so forgive me if I seem amateurish. Hope you be kind to me and leave a review. And I apologize if I keep on posting new stories. Plot bunnies biting my liver in my sleep.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**EDITED by BuriedInBooks. :D**

**Why the late update you say? I would have updated last week, if it weren't for Fanfiction being a complete *** and deleting _Killing Your Darling (Hatake Kakashi x Terumi Mei, the 5th Mizukage). _I thought they deleted it on the basis of me doing a manga adaptation (basing it on another plot) which I MENTIONED and CITED in the story but I guess that it wasn't a case of copyright infringement. I gave credits to _Marriage Scandal, Showbiz Baby, _so it wasn't the reason for deletion. The reason was: EXPLICIT CONTENT. Like fuck, right?! If they wanted explicit content, they can find it with Necessary Depravity and Your Fading Starlight!**

**Because of the deletion, I was banned from posting a chapter for about three days and that's why I couldn't update.**

**For those of you who want to know how the deleted story will continue, just go to my profile and proceed to my account at ARCHIVEOFOUROWN, which is a WAY better (more comprehensive) site than this one. If you want, you can bookmark my page there because if this site detects my other stories (Necessary Depravity, Your Fading Starlight) and decides to BAN me for life, you can still find me at ArchiveOfOurOwn. :)**

**Btw, if the reason behind its deletion is one sourpuss decided to report my story, then you're just stupid. -_-"**

**On a side note, did any of you notice that when Natsu and Lucy have a son, it'd be Sting Eucliffe (of Sabertooth) and when Natsu and Lisanna have a daughter, it'd be Yukino Agria (of Sabertooth too)? Pretty freaky, but yeah, that's what I think. =)))**

Chapter 2

When Your World Splits Down the Middle

The world definitely hates me.

The moment the Nanadaime Hokage said that Itachi was going to be my instructor, I wasn't aware that sand came pouring out of my gourd and started attacking the bastard. It wasn't until Aunt Temari barked my name that I was suddenly made aware of the fact that one of the most lethal weapons in my arsenal was already hovering near his head. When I finally gathered the sand back to my gourd, I was reminded of the fact that the man hadn't even flinched at my sudden attack. He just looked smug, but his eyes were no longer the onyx that I had seen.

His eyes had gone to a bloody shade of red. It made me remember the infamous Uchiha kekkei genkai – the Sharingan.

It was only something that I have read about in the books, but the description was uncanny. I digested everything that I have ever read in a book like a machine. My mother often said that I have _eidetic memory. _The Sharingan blaring from Uchiha Itachi meant that he was ready to fend off my attacks at any time. This made me angrier.

"Itachi!"

The Hokage's wife was also quick to act, placing a hand on the much taller young man's shoulder. To my surprise, Itachi backed down immediately, exhaling and deactivating his Kekkei Genkai.

"That was interesting," Asuma commented out of nowhere, earning a sharp look from Aunt Temari.

Sasuke's eyebrows were raised, evidently wondering how such a bad relationship was formed between me and his son. I didn't want to honor him with an answer, as his brat should be the one to do some explaining to do. He was the one who started all of this. If only he were a little bit more respectful to guests from other nations, then this wouldn't have ended as it had.

"I request for another instructor," I proclaimed a bit too cockily. I know that I might have overstepped some invisible line, but I didn't care. I didn't want to be placed under Itachi's tutelage. I want another teacher.

"There is no one more suitable to be your teacher than Itachi," Sasuke replied. He was much more used to wielding power than I was and I could feel every measure of his advantage at that moment. "I could give you Minato, but he is the head of the ANBU."

I was shocked to find out that I had the head of the Konoha ANBU as my escort. So that meant that I had all the more reason to pick Minato since he was evidently more powerful than the bastard. But then again, his duties would prevent him from having free time to teach anyone.

"Aren't there other teachers? Why him?!" I exclaimed, pointing a finger at Itachi, who was closing his eyes annoyance.

"What's your problem with Itachi-nii?!" the little boy named Naruto angrily snapped at me.

My eyes widened incredulously at the arrogant brat. It was becoming more and more apparent to me that the Hokage's brood knew the art of haughtiness quite well. It may be because their old man was the epitome of conceit, from what I could tell.

"If you don't stop arguing right now, you'll be off missions for a month," Sasuke drawled, effectively stopping all noise from his side. I was shocked to find out that the Uchiha clan seemed to be a bit obsessed in mission-taking that this was the only threat that would frighten them all to submission.

I barely suppressed a chuckle when Sasuke directed the full force of his gaze on me. This time, he really did look like the scariest Hokage I could ever imagine. "If you don't want to take Itachi's instruction, I shall not place you under anyone else's. I assume that you already mastered all you can from your father with Sand techniques, but as for everything else, I've read your file and you are still lacking. Itachi is the most suitable teacher for you. If you want to be sub-par, I'll find you a mediocre teacher. My son is an ANBU unit captain and is taking some time off his duties just to take on a favor to teach you. He is not going to have any pay in this and is doing so out of willingness. Your father might be the Kazekage and he might be tolerated more by the previous Hokage, but I am a different case entirely. Take it or leave it."

I felt my body go numb with rage. The Inner Karura that I inherited from my mother was 'activated'. I didn't want to disrespect the Hokage and suddenly cause a war between Suna and Konoha. However, I couldn't help myself. My mouth started working without even thinking about it.

"So this is why my mum doesn't want to be associated with the Hokage," I spoke venomously, earning gasps from the people around her.

The moment I said those words, I immediately regretted it. Uchiha Sasuke's eyes bulged and he seemed to inflate right before my very eyes. He was stepping towards me dangerously and I thought I was going to be subject to Amaterasu.

But before he could get any closer to me, someone shunshin-ed in front of him. I blinked and saw his wife standing before him, facing him. All I could see was her protective back facing me.

"Sasuke-kun," was all she said, and the man backed down.

Despite my growing dread, I was impressed. This woman, who was about a full head shorter than the intimidating Hokage, made him stop from doing any brash movements.

"Hn." Uchiha Sasuke glared at me one last time and moved back to his desk. I tried glaring back, but I couldn't. This man was a master when it came to looking like a complete monster. I wasn't even sure how he managed that when he looked like a complete hunk (I'm a woman, I'm allowed to appreciate masculine beauty when confronted with it). But I wouldn't dare to appreciate him fully. Appreciating his looks would indirectly mean that I like Itachi's appearance, since the father and son were spitting images of each other.

I hazarded a look towards the Uchihas, who were looking at me with different degrees of emotion. Minato, who seemed to be the eldest, was smiling apologetically at me, his blue eyes crinkled. He reminded me of the mystery that I wanted to crack later on as to how the hell onyx-eyed, raven-haired Uchiha Sasuke and his white/lavender-eyed, midnight blue-haired wife were able to produce a young man who looked astoundingly like the Fourth Hokage. The twins, who seemed to have inherited their father's bratty attitude, were both looking at me with distaste and dislike. The youngest, the girl named Mikoto was looking blankly at me, which disconcerted me quite a bit. No one of that age should be looking at _anyone _like that.

Uchiha Itachi was staring at me mockingly, looking every bit like someone who just attained victory. I wanted so badly to wipe off that smug look off his face. I'd show him. If he was going to be my teacher, then so be it. I'll best him in every way I possibly could.

Because of my track of thought, I didn't notice that the woman named Hinata had already turned around and was looking at me reassuringly. "I'm sorry for my husband's and son's behaviors. I assure you that I did not raise Itachi this way."

To my genuine astonishment, Itachi's arrogant façade melted away and he was reduced to a horrified boy who did not like to be the cause of his mother's shame. This seemed to cause his blonde brother to snicker.

"You're welcome to have dinner with us after you've settled down at Temari-san's," Hinata told me. I began to decline, but with that warm look she was giving me, it was impossible to give in. Somehow, I could bitterly admit that I never received such a look from my own mother. Haruno Sakura was an overly serious woman who didn't seem to have an affectionate bone in her body. She would act all concerned at times, but it would be masked by her terribly bossy and restricting demeanor.

I didn't want to feel this way but personally, I would prefer to have Uchiha Hinata as my mum. Was that my naivety speaking?

And one of the reasons why I can't really decline her offer was that she was the Hokage's wife. I might trigger some international disaster if I snubbed the invitation.

"A-Alright. T-Thank you for inviting me," I politely said, sounding pathetic.

"Is that all, Hokage-sama?" Temari formally asked, addressing the cold-faced Uchiha.

"Yes," Sasuke replied. "Itachi will be the one to report your progress and send in reports. Your father will be notified every week. You're free to write your own reports and you are required to visit my office every other week. If you have any questions, just approach the secretary."

At the word secretary, a woman with long, blonde hair tied in a ponytail entered the room. For a Hokage's assistant, she seemed to have a very informal and sexy way of clothing. She was wearing what I would term as a cut kimono. Cut in the sense that it should have been one flowing traditional garb if it weren't cut off in the middle, showing her belly button and an enviably flat stomach.

She looked at me with a stare that would have melted any man and a smile that was a bit teasing. I idly wondered if she was intentionally being flirtatious or if it was just a part of her overall personality. She sauntered towards me and without warning, she hugged me.

"Karura-chan!" Even her voice was sultry.

"W-What…? W-who…?" I forced out, trying to inhale despite the iron hold the woman had around my neck.

The blonde seemed to pause briefly at that. She looked at me in an odd way before admitting, "I'm Yamanaka Ino! I'm your mother's best friend."

"Best friend?" I repeated, puzzled. If my mum had a best friend, then I didn't know that she had one by the name of Yamanaka Ino. The only friend that she did frequently mention was Uzumaki Naruto and he wasn't around for reasons that I had yet to find out.

"Enough of that," Sasuke flatly interrupted. At this, Ino seemed to back down and a sad look crossed her features. I wondered why. "Anyway, Yamanaka Ino is my interim secretary. She's also the Head of the Interrogation Division."

"Are you by any chance suffering a lack of shinobi?" I asked innocently. "Why would the Head of the Interrogation Division be the interim secretary?"

"Once I've found a competent enough secretary, Yamanaka will suffice," Sasuke answered. "And we do not suffer the lack of men, we – "

"I'm the only one up for the job," Ino chimed in. "And I volunteered for the job. That way, I can get as close to Sasuke-kun as I want."

I was stunned at that. My eyes landed on Hinata, who seemed unfazed of the blatant display of affection towards her husband. Instead, she was giggling silently.

"Shut up, Ino," Sasuke shot at the woman.

Ino's gaze fell on my shocked expression. "Don't look at me like that, Karura-chan. Even you have to admit, Sasuke is one good-looking fella."

"I-I don't – !"

"Of course, you'll have to go with someone closer to your age," Ino nonchalantly added. "So you can go for Itachi here. He looks just like Sasuke! He will do."

"E-EH?!" This time, I was sure that I wasn't the only one who yelled. The masculine voice was definitely not mine.

"This has gotten way out of hand," Sasuke interjected. "You can go to Temari's house now. All questions can be asked on any day except today and you can address them to Yamanaka. Only come to me when it's an emergency. Now that you're here in Konoha, you will conform to the standards and regulations that apply to all Konoha shinobi. Violation of those rules will warrant an equal punishment. Being the Kazekage's daughter does not exempt you from our law and your father has agreed that this is conducive to your training."

Before I could speak, Sasuke continued. "You are now appointed as a Konoha shinobi under the level of genin. Your instructor will be Itachi and once he deems you fit, you shall also undergo missions for this village. I do not know what kind of lessons you have in Suna's academy, and that's why you're going to start from the very fundamental shinobi tactics here in Konoha."

"N-Nani?!" I gasped. I have to start from genin all over again?! How different is Konoha and Suna? We were all taught the same ninja arts, as far as I was concerned. There are just some techniques local to Suna like puppetry, cloth fuuinjutsu, sand manipulation, and a few others.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Sasuke challenged. "I also told your father that if you are not amenable to Konoha's instruction and hospitality, then you can go home anytime you want. He agreed."

_What the…?! _I know I'm not a spoiled brat and I know that training should not be subject to one's status, but come on! Why do I have to go back to being a genin?! I earned the rank of Chuunin fair and square against competitors from other villages, making my skills not only known in my village but also to the whole world. Was it because I specifically asked to be instructed in the Konoha way? Is it because I constantly bugged my parents that I wanted to learn more about the Leaf?!

_I don't understand!  
><em>

"Are you up to the task, Sabaku no Karura?"

Sasuke's tone was unmistakable. There was something in his eyes that seemed to dare me to back out. What? Was he expecting the daughter of the Kazekage and his teammate, the Sannin Haruno Sakura, to back out? No friggin' way.

"Of course I am."

That was all that I had to say.

* * *

><p>I looked out of the window in one of the huge guest rooms of the Nara residence. Nara Shikamaru, my aunt's husband, was the clan head of this prominent family and as such, this huge mansion belonged to him. I rarely see huge compounds that belong to a single family in Suna because most of the nobility in my village didn't have as organized a structure as the ones in Konoha. Suna functioned more as individual units coming together in times of crisis. Rich families were self-made rather than inherent. Ninja arts were passed down from master to student rather than from relative to relative.<p>

I was rather full after being force-fed by my aunt with almost all the varieties of Konoha food there was. I almost threw up, but being the good niece that I was, I accepted the offer. The food in the Land of Fire was amazing! Never did I taste anything as varied. I often had to eat the blander and more lackluster food of Suna. I shouldn't really complain since my father often said that we had the best food in Suna, prepared by talented cooks. But if that was the best food in Suna, then what do you call this? What comparisons could be made?

"Karura?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin. I laughed at myself, a chuunin shinobi of Suna, getting startled in the house of my own aunt. Slash that. I was now a genin of Konoha. I even had the standard Leaf headband which reminded me of the fact that I hadn't removed my old one, which was tied around my neck. My father always disapproved of my way of wearing my standard, but who was he to complain? I never saw him don the Suna headband. So boo to him. My mum, who always found a reason to scold me, couldn't really contend with me on this one since she used hers like a headband. Good point since her forehead would look even more prominent if she wore it the normal way.

I opened the door, revealing my smiling aunt. "How are you settling in?"

"This is a pretty extravagant room," I replied, lying flat on my futon, spread-eagled.

"You seem to like it," Temari said. "Almost all the guest rooms here are too big. This is a huge ass house."

"You seem to be used to it."

"Compared to our stifling rooms in Suna, this is one of the welcomed changes I instantly loved about Konoha."

I began to think about the thousands of questions I have about Konoha. I started with the one I wanted to ask the most. "Uhm… if you don't mind me asking…"

"Go on. I'm sure you're itching to ask after what your mother's been doing to you," Temari stated without reservations.

I giggled but then I turned serious almost instantly. "What happened to Naruto-san? I thought… I thought he was the Hokage? I mean, the last time I heard, he was the Rokudaime."

Temari sighed. I knew that my aunt wasn't one to beat around the bushes. She was a straight-shooter and she was feared as the cruelest kunoichi of her time. But even with her reputation, I wasn't expecting how she readily answered my question without any hesitation.

"Naruto died," she answered, watching the drop my jaw had taken.

"H-How?!" I gasped. From what she had heard and read, Uzumaki Naruto was practically a god – invincible. He was someone who went to hell and back and survived. He was someone who had overcome insurmountable odds. So why? Why was he dead? How was he dead?!

"It's because of the Juubi," Temari explained grimly. "You know about how Uchiha Obito and Madara united the chakra of the Nine beasts and re-created the Ten-tails, right?"

"Hai," I weakly replied.

"Its first jinchuuriki was the Rikudou Sennin and he was no ordinary man," Temari continued. "He was the son of Otsutsuki Kaguya, and she gained tremendous endurance and life force because she ate the fruit of the Juubi. Because of that, she passed on that life force to her son, along with the powerful eyes of the Rinnegan. After many generations where his genetics is diluted, there is no one alive who could sustain the power of the Juubi as its jinchuuriki after a long time. Even Obito didn't know that piece of information. If he had been the Juubi for a long while, he would still have died after three years or so."

"So you mean to tell me that the Rokudaime's body wasn't able to take the strain of being the Juubi's jailor?" I inquired, alarmed. I never thought that it would go that way.

"Yes. He couldn't very well split the power like what the Rikudou Sennin did back then when the Juubi was still rampaging outside. He had to do it once it was inside of him, so the situation was inevitable. The Juubi had to be sealed inside him."

"Why? Why him?! Why not a worthless person and not the hero of the world?!" I tried to justify. I didn't know Uzumaki Naruto personally, but I would have wanted to meet him. From what my mother told me, he was an exceptional person who I would have gotten along with. The world still needed people like him. After all that he did, why should he die so early? He didn't deserve it!

And I had to admit, Uzumaki Naruto had become my hero even though I'd only heard and read about him second-hand.

"Listen to yourself, Karura," Temari said with narrowed eyes. "Do you really think that a person like Naruto would let an innocent soul or a less powerful ninja be the Juubi's jinchuuriki? Do you really think that there's someone else out there with the same life force as him?"

"Senju Tsunade! Uzumaki Karin!" I exclaimed, citing from memory. "I read the story of the war. I know who the participants are, Temari-baa-chan. If it's life force we're talking about, the Senju and Uzumaki are the most ideal."

Temari shook her head. "Tsunade did not have the Uchiha bloodline in her and neither did Karin. They both didn't have the Eyes. The union of the Senju and the Uchiha bloodline gifts are required to be able to effectively become the Juubi's jinchuuriki – the union of the bloodline of the two sons of the Rikudou Sennin."

"S-So…"

"Uchiha Obito gave Madara's eyes to Naruto when they defeated him. He became the second coming of the Rikudou Sennin," Temari stated. "But still, it wasn't enough. He didn't have exactly the same blood as the Sennin. He was still a watered down version of the god."

"How long? How long until he realized that he couldn't…?"

"After two years of being its jinchuuriki," Temari answered. "I saw Naruto deteriorate myself. His appearance was still the same but he couldn't get out of bed. He constantly had to use a jutsu just to release some of the overwhelming power. At one time, his Oodama Rasengan expanded to such epic proportions that it nearly destroyed Konoha if Kakashi-san hadn't blown it away with his Kamui."

I felt sick. I couldn't imagine someone who so badly wanted to bring peace to the world suddenly become a big threat to the safety of those he wanted to protect.

"He knew that he couldn't take it and that's why he devoted the next three years learning the jutsu of how to divide the juubi once again and re-create the nine beasts with the same consciousness that they had before they were united once again."

I wasn't able to ask anything anymore. I didn't understand. Why did he have such a tragic fate? Didn't he deserve to be happy after all that he did? I didn't know much about his personal life, but how did his loved ones grieve?

"Did he have a family?" I wondered aloud.

My aunt stared at me in an odd way and for the first time, she didn't give it to me straight. I looked at her in bewilderment.

"You should rest," Temari suggested. "This has been a long day for you and this was a lot to take in. I'll tell you the rest of the story some other time. You still have four more weeks here to find out all that you can."

"Thank you, baa-chan," I said.

"Just…" she said, halting in front of the door. "Just be open-minded, okay, Karura? Since you're asking questions, be prepared for the answers, no matter what they are."

"O-Okay," I responded, feeling a bit disconcerted.

"Good night."

"Good night."

I was bothered by my aunt's parting statement. What did she mean? Sure, I was ready for the answers. In fact, I hungered for them ever since I was a little kid. I was more than ready. Yes, the death of Uzumaki Naruto still came as a shock for me and I wished it didn't happen, but I was a big girl and I was a kunoichi. It couldn't be helped if someone died in the service of their village. Naruto was just someone who laid his life on the line on a regular basis and in a monumental scale.

I started to lie back down again on my futon when a rustle outside my window startled me. I suddenly grabbed my kunai and extended my arm, the sand in my gourd that was put at the corner of my room ready to be used.

Another rustling noise and I threw my kunai without hesitation. I ran towards the window and as I was about to reach it, a figure suddenly appeared, crouching at the window sill. My face nearly hit a solid wall that was somebody's chest.

I nearly shouted but a hand clamped my mouth. I stared at the hooded figure aggressively, the sand of my gourd floating threateningly near his neck, ready to wound.

"Nice," the man murmured.

I recognized that voice.

He then removed his hood and his mask.

"Uchiha Itachi! What the fuck do you think - ?!"

"The Kazekage's daughter talking like a commoner," he arrogantly said. "Your test will be tomorrow, 8 a.m. Don't be late."

"Test?! I just came here!"

"Did anyone say that you shouldn't be allowed to start your training immediately?" he asked dryly.

"No! But no one said that I had to take the test as soon as I wake up for my second day here!" I argued.

"I'm your teacher, I make the call," he justified smugly. "Now, start acting like a shinobi."

Before I could open my mouth, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, KARURA?!" Hitomi screamed from the other room.

Oops.

* * *

><p>The next day was a horror movie.<p>

It seemed that I was more tired than I let on from all the 'outrunning-Uchiha-Itachi' gig that I had going on. I woke up at 8:10 a.m. with horrible bed hair and an empty stomach. But I had no time to fix myself up as I wanted to and I can't eat anything. I instantly jumped out of the window after I haphazardly put on my shinobi clothes and gear. I even almost forgot my Konoha headband because I had put on the Suna one. Without thinking, I just bit the headband as I sped through Konoha.

That was when I realized.

Where the fuck am I going to go?!

Uchiha Itachi never told me where we were going to have that test! For all I know, Konoha has thrice the number of training grounds than Suna. I hated to do this, but there was only one place to go for any inquiries.

I really didn't want a repeat encounter with the Hokage. He scared the shit out of me and I never knew how someone as dark as Uchiha Sasuke could become the most respected person in the entire Leaf village. But then again, I didn't think he would ever spare me a second in his 'busy' schedule. However, he was the only one who would know where his own son would be. Would his assistant know? That was when I decided that I would have to take up his word in approaching his interim secretary, the disconcerting blonde woman who seemed to know my mum.

I really had no time for childhood stories and chitchat about Haruno Sakura. Yamanaka Ino seemed to be someone who would stop me from doing what I should do just to talk.

So without really thinking it through, I ran to the Hokage tower as fast as I could. I was sure that Itachi would be gloating his ass off and thinking up some sort of corporal, inhumane punishment just to make me cry or something. I'm sure that he was celebrating that I was late, giving him a reason to dish out said punishment. I might be tasked to wash his clothes, comb his chicken-butt hair, or kiss the ground that he walked on.

Ugh! Why?!

The thoughts that formed inside my head propelled me to run as powerfully and as fast as I could. I didn't even stop even though I felt that my lungs were already burning. I knew that the Yellow Flash would have been proud at the speed that I was breaking.

When I finally reached my destination, I nearly knocked over the interim secretary who was carrying a stack of papers down the halls.

"Karura!" Yamanaka Ino gasped in surprise. "What - ?!"

"Have you seen Itachi?" I broke out.

Ino raised an eyebrow. "Itachi-sensei, you mean?"

I groaned. "Itachi-_sensei_." I felt like I just swallowed a frog when I said the word.

"He's at training ground 6," she replied. "Now, why are - ?!"

"Sorry, can't talk! Gotta run! Already late! Thanks! Bye!" I said that in such a rush that I didn't think she would have understood it. But what the heck. I was in a hurry. With that, I ran again. I knew where that particular training ground was. Ironically, it was only a block away from the Nara estate and I knew about it since I passed by it last night on the way to my temporary home.

And so, I arrived at my destination. It may have been 8:20 at that point. When I arrived, Itachi was nowhere to be found.

I was absolutely horrified. Did I just lose a day's lesson?! This would surely reflect in the Hokage's report (which was Itachi's) to my dad. What would he say? The Kazekage of Suna would really be ashamed that his daughter was embarrassing him in another country. I was never late for anything! This would be the first time and with a teacher that I wanted to prove something to.

I walked towards the tree, trying to find any trace of Itachi's presence. Before I circled the first tree, I spotted a note stuck on a shrub behind it. I plucked it and read, "Pluck the weeds on the grass of this entire training ground. Tomorrow, don't be late or else you'll be sweeping all the streets of Konoha."

At that moment, I lost all control. All the sand in my gourd started pouring out in response to the rage I felt. The particles swirled at my feet and onto the entire grounds, swiping at every blade of grass. I wanted to see Itachi's bloody head in front of me, and I preferred it decapitated from his body. After I stopped having my fit, I looked around and saw that my assault rendered the grassy field barren and dead.

Now, _he _would throw a fit.

I smirked. It would be best to give Konoha a full tour since I had the rest of the day off.

I hummed to myself as I walked past Training Ground 6 and strolled along the streets. I couldn't help but calm down at the sights and the scents that surrounded me. The anger that I had earlier was forgotten. There was something about this place that felt just like home to me and I might be a bit unfair, but I already loved it more than Suna.

Children were running about and some even circled me, unfazed at my presence. Back in Suna, people bowed to me respectfully whenever they saw me. The Leaf citizens' behavior made sense because many really didn't know who I was. And it was better this way. I smiled as one of the boys poked my gourd, examining it keenly.

"What is this?" he chimed, grinning broadly at me.

I couldn't help but melt at the toothless grin. "A sand gourd, little boy."

"Why are you carrying a sand gourd? Do you want to build a sand castle?"

I laugh at that. "Yeah, sure. I also use it as a weapon."

"A weapon?" the boy repeated, then he finally spotted my Leaf headband. "You're a ninja!"

"Hai."

"What rank?"

"A chuu – " I stopped myself, reminded of the fact that I was demoted. I grit my teeth. "Genin."

"My onii-chan is a genin too!" he exclaimed happily. "Is he your classmate? But you seem a little bit older. My nii-chan is 12. You look like you're twenty."

_TWENTY?!_

"I'm sixteen," I pointed out, trying to suppress my anger. There was really no point in lashing out at an innocent child.

"Oh. You haven't taken the exams yet?"

In fact, I had. And I was one of the five genin chosen out of fifty to be promoted to chuunin during my time. Too bad that your Hokage couldn't see that.

"Not yet," I lied.

"Good luck on it then! I heard that it was super duper hard and that some people die while taking it!" the boy fearfully warned me.

I grin. Back in those days, maybe. After Uzumaki Naruto, Chuunin exams had changed drastically. With the advancement in medicine and the decreasing tolerance for needless violence, the older generations called the current shinobi 'softies'. No one died in shinobi placement exams now. They were just rendered bloody until they were just an inch away from death.

"Sure kid," I reply, spotting a ramen stand named Ichiraku's and instantly wanting to try it out. I was about to walk inside when I spotted a familiar shock of blonde hair seated on one of the stools.

"Minato-san!" I called out.

The young man turned and smiled at me heartily. "Karura-chan!"

_Karura-__**chan**__? _

"Sightseeing?" he asked.

"More like sightseeing, food-eating, local-chatting, whatever everything can be called," I replied, sitting beside him and looking up at the list of ramen varieties that I could try out. "What should I order?"

An old man and a woman in her late thirties or so looked at me in question.

"A friend of yours, Minato-kun?" the brown-haired woman asked, but I didn't miss the suggestive look that she was giving the two of us.

"Hmm, you can say that," Minato replied cheerfully. I almost rolled my eyes. "She's Karura and she's from Suna."

I smiled at the owners of the shop, my eyes crinkling. I missed Minato mouthing the words 'she's the Kazekage's daughter' to the two, which caused them to immediately bow in response and give me such wide smiles.

Realizing that I might have missed something, I turn to look at Minato, but he was just eating his food at a pace that was hard to follow. My eyes widen. "That looks delicious."

"Miso ramen with beef is the best!" he exclaimed. Somehow, it was hard to believe that such a lively personality would come out from someone with the face of the Yondaime Hokage. From what I learned about Namikaze Minato, he was a calm, gentle, and collected soul. Somehow, I saw the same things from _this _Minato, only mixed with something far more rambunctious. I couldn't quite figure him out.

"I guess I'll try that out," I said to the old man who introduced himself as Teuchi. The daughter was named Ayame.

While waiting for the order, I turned to Minato. "Day off?"

"One of the few," he replied. "And I thought you were training with Itachi."

Ugh. He just had to ask.

"Ehehe," I sheepishly let out. "Well, I was kinda late."

Minato's cerulean eyes widened. "What? Late for your first day?"

"Twenty minutes late, to be precise," I sighed. "And it wasn't entirely my fault. He never told me where the training was going to be. And he even told me that it was going to be a test. What sort of jerk-ass would give a test before the training?"

Minato cocked an eyebrow. "Don't they do that all the time? So that your sensei knows which aspect of your skills you need to polish more?"

"A-Aa," I reluctantly agreed, feeling really stupid. "But still! I'm just getting the hang of things here! I haven't even settled in."

He grinned. "But your main purpose in coming here is training, isn't it? Itachi is only showing you that one of the things that a shinobi isn't readily given is comfort. I guess he's teaching you something already. Humility, for one."

I glared at him. "Well, I don't think he should be someone teaching me humility. He's the Hokage's son and he certainly acts like he's the Prince of the world."

To my astonishment, Minato laughed. But what else did I expect? Of course he's going to side with his younger brother. "Itachi's just like the old man but I'm telling you, he's much better."

Well, he had a point there. No one could match Uchiha Sasuke. I didn't even know the man that much and I could tell that he was a lot more frightening than he let on. And for what he let on, he was already _that _intimidating. And people say my dad was scary.

"Here you go," Ayame chanted happily, handing me a bowl of my order.

The smell coming from the ramen bowl immediately arrested my senses and caused an answering growl emitting from my stomach. I felt my cheeks burn and I just knew that my face took on the same shade as my hair. I tried to conceal my embarrassment from my blonde companion, but he was already chuckling heartily.

"I can tell you haven't had breakfast yet."

I laugh wryly. "Guilty." And without further ado, I tucked in.

I just had a chopstick-full of heaven at that. I smacked my lips and let the noodles and the broth simmer in my mouth as I swallow it. I knew that my mum would throw a herculean fit if she saw the way that I was eating, but I didn't care. She wasn't here. And therefore, I can enjoy good food in the best way possible – with utmost appreciation.

"This is delicious!" I nearly yelled as I swallowed.

"Oh! I'm glad you liked it, Karura-sama!" Teuchi said cheerfully.

"Karura-sama?" I repeated, frowning. "Just call me Karura."

"But aren't you the Kazekage's daughter?" Ayame asked.

"How did you know?"

Ayame pointed at Minato, who was scratching the back of his head. I was about to ask him when he released such information when Teuchi commented, "You look just like your mother, Sakura. She was a frequent customer here at Ichiraku's along with Naruto."

"Naruto…?" I trailed off. So my mum ate here often with Uzumaki Naruto.

To my surprise, Minato suddenly stood up. "I forgot that I have someplace to go," he excused himself, putting down the coins on the table. Before I could say anything, he was gone.

I tried standing up, but Teuchi stopped me. "Let him be. He's just… well, I don't think he'll ever be _not _affected."

"What do you mean?" I inquired, extremely bewildered.

The two regarded me with surprise. "You didn't know? I thought your mother told you."

"My mother never tells me anything," I deadpanned. "This is my first visit to Konoha."

"What?" Ayame trailed off, paling. "W-Well, it's because Minato-kun is Naruto's son."

"Huh?!"

"YOU!"

The sudden exclamation jarred my attention from the conversation and to the furious figure standing a few feet away from me. There, standing like an avenging beast with his Sharingan activated, was Uchiha Itachi.

I immediately gulped and all thoughts about the sudden revelation flew out of my mind. I began to stand up and I was about to summon the sand in my gourd to lift me off my feet and make me fly out of this danger zone. But before I could even move a centimeter, Itachi was already in front of me.

I gasped. Was I hoodwinked? How did he manage to do that?! Was it a genjutsu?! All thoughts raced in my mind as I began to think of ways to evade him or protect myself. And to think up of an excuse as to why I was here.

"What are you doing?!" he ground out.

I gulped again. "E-Eating." God, I sounded pathetic.

"No, I guess that was the wrong question," Itachi drawled menacingly. "The question should be: what did you do to the training grounds?!"

_Oh. _

"It was your fault!" I retorted furiously. "You never told me where we're having the training and that's why I was late!"

"Stop lying," he snapped. "I knew you woke up late. Ten minutes late, in fact. You had to go to Hokage tower and ask where I was. If you were early, you still would have made it in time even though you didn't know where the venue was."

_Fair point. _"How did you even know that?!"

"Ino-baa-chan told me."

Of course. The talkative woman. I didn't even know her that well and I could immediately conclude that she was that type of person.

From my peripheral vision, I saw girl about my age with wavy brown hair and startling blue eyes approach Itachi from behind. "You don't happen to be gossiping about my mother now, would you, Itachi-kun?"

My eyes were suddenly riveted on the girl who was extremely pretty. She was certainly the daughter of the gorgeous blonde woman I met. However, there was something about her that I knew I would instantly like.

"Oh hey! You're Sakura-baa-chan's kid, right?" she asked immediately when she saw me.

I smiled in response and replied, "Yes. And you…?"

"Inuzuka Tsuki," she replied. "Nice to finally meet you."

For the less than 48 hours of my stay here in Konoha, I came up with three conclusions: 1.) Everybody knew Haruno Sakura (and for good reason); 2.) For some reason, everyone knew me (sure, I was the Kazekage's daughter but I was pretty much sheltered for almost all my life and I had yet to build a name for myself in the world of shinobi); and 3.) Everyone seemed to be clamoring to get to know me in an odd, overenthusiastic way. It was as though they were making up for something and it wasn't just years. It was something more.

"Sabaku no Karura," I introduced. "Can't say the same, since I've only heard about you today."

The girl didn't seem to be insulted at my brutal frankness. She put her dainty arms on her narrow hips and I was suddenly struck by how much I envied the girl's figure and her height. "Understandable. Your mum is pretty bitter."

"Bitter?" Another addition to the growing number of mysteries surrounding my mum's past.

"Can you get out the way, Tsuki?" Itachi interjected moodily. "I still have to have a word with my student."

"Oh yeah," Tsuki said, not the least bit bothered by the dark aura emitting from the Uchiha. "My mum told me about you being a sensei. I thought you weren't cut out to be one. Minato's more suited to be a teacher. You're too impatient."

"I was the one chosen, so shut it," he hissed.

I giggled. It seemed that this spitfire was able to put Itachi in his place without even batting an eyelash. And she wasn't intimidated by him. She just stuck a pink tongue out at him and asked, "Have you seen Minato? We were supposed to have our date."

"D-Date?" I gasped. So, that guy had a girlfriend?

"Stop daydreaming, Tsuki. Minato's not interested in you," Itachi mocked, his standard smirk back on his face.

"That's what you think," Tsuki smugly contradicted him. "Just two nights ago, you can only imagine the naughty things he did to my body."

At this, both Karura and Itachi reddened.

"Shut up and just go away!" Itachi barked.

"Hai, hai," Tsuki said, waving them off. "I'll just find him. I'm the best tracker-nin in Konoha, after all."

Before she left, she turned to me and said, "Let's hang out some time, okay? You live with Shika-ojii, right?"

"Yep," I cheerfully replied. Finally, a girl friend in Konoha.

With that, she finally disappeared. I knew for sure that I didn't want Inuzuka Tsuki to leave because it meant that I was left alone with the Uchiha brat. I knew that I couldn't avoid his burning stare forever so I met it and I had to say, I was stunned.

Stunned because for a fraction of a second, I felt a shiver run through my spine that had nothing to do with fear. Whenever you were confronted with a dark and dangerous enemy, the normal reaction would be to tremble with fright. But if you were faced with dark, dangerous, and _incredibly handsome _enemy, the combination could lead to more lethal and confusing consequences.

I've had my fair share of attractions before. There were quite a number of handsome gentlemen in Suna but like most, they were too intimidated to approach me for fear of my father rendering them sterile. My mother wasn't very encouraging either. She supported my father's pathological desire to keep me away from romance.

But I had to be honest with myself. Konoha men were _way _hotter than any of the male specimens in other villages. Kumo men were rough around the edges and they could either be extremely dark or extremely pale. Kiri men were frightening and had weird habits that were often hard to ignore, even by shinobi standards. They could also be either oddly too masculine or weirdly too feminine. Suna men were uncompromising and too stubborn, with features that were built for the desert.

Konoha men… well, they were more varied. From what I've seen as soon as I entered the Leaf, the males had different degrees of beauty to them. Even the one who stood guard at the gates with a piece of bandage running along his nose was cute. Minato himself was a looker and I knew that the Yondaime made women of his time weep – a blonde bishounen, as I would call it. And the rumors were true. Uchiha men were _good-looking, _if that term ever did them justice. While Minato's looks were bright and inviting, Itachi's was mysterious. His handsomeness had a devil-may-care streak to it. His onyx eyes that could transform easily to blood red Sharingans made me always second guess him and myself. I was dead certain that he had a lot of admirers in Konoha.

But I would never admit to my deathbed that I found this jerk handsome. If he acted less of a jerk, then I would reconsider.

"So," he said as silently as possible. "Get your ass out of here and start repairing the damage that you've done to the field."

I bit my lower lip, instantly reminded that this man was no dark angel fallen from heaven, but the devil incarnate. "And how exactly do you think I revive the grass in that place? I live in Suna for a reason. I don't have the green thumb."

"You can start by going to Ino-baa," Itachi said with a victorious smirk. "She can tell you all about plants and re-growing the grass. She's the top herb and flower specialist here in Konoha."

"What else is she best at?" I wryly ask. Yamanaka Ino seemed to have it all in her – top Interrogator, interim secretary, and plant specialist.

"She may have given birth to that stalker Inuzuka," Itachi started to say, "but Ino-baa-chan will help you _survive _here in Konoha with her expertise. Now, move along. I don't have the whole day to waste on you."

And with that, I stomp away from Uchiha Itachi, but not before sending a kunai flying to his face. I knew that he deflected it without even looking, but I just had to satisfy the violent urge to at least try to hurt someone.


End file.
